The rapture of the church is a topic that many people like to talk about. One of my favorite books on the subject of the end times is Dwight Pentecost's "Things to Come." The book doesn't give opinions as a lot of sources do, but is really a reference work for much of the scripture on each topic. That's the best source usually when reading about prophecy, works that just look at the Scriptures. This song is titled, "I wish we'd all been ready," by D.C. Talk. I used to play it over and over as a teenager in the late seventies. It really spoke to me about relationship. The word is not in the song, but that's all I could think of as I listened to the song. You see, we are all walking the life of faith. But, faith requires relationship. Faith without works is dead according to James 2:18,20,26 but faith without relationship is dead according to the devil. Acts 19:15 You see, the devil knows who belongs to God. We need faith to keep following, but in the end, when you've done all to stand, just stand in faith. Ephesians 6:13
EJ: "Stay here"
ES: "I will not leave you."
( Both walk 10 miles in the dust.)
SP1: "Don't you know?"
ES: "Yes, I know it... just be quiet!"
EJ: "Stay here"
ES: "I will not leave you."
(Both walk 20 miles more in the heat of the day.)
SP2: "Don't you know?"
ES: "Yes, I know it... just be quiet!"
EJ: "Stay here"
ES: "I will not leave you."
As long as God is alive and you are alive, I will not leave you... such stirring words, rivaling even Ruth's words to Naomi. Yes, this is the intensity with which Elisha pursued his mentor. Such love! After the 30 mile hike from Gilgal to Bethel, and from Bethel to Jerico, and after the third profession of undying loyalty, the sons of the prophets in Jerico didn't question Elisha anymore about his intelligence. They just all stood on the front lawn of the campus and watched the headmaster and his favorite student walk out to the Jordon River alone. The dust flew in the distance, and the sun beat down from the sky.
Miraculously, Elijah folded his cloak and, like a matador in the arena he waved it across the water, then they both crossed over with dry feet. The aged mentor turned to his follower and asked just exactly what it was he wanted from him, desiring to be certain of Elisha's motives, whether they were truly rooted in love for his master as it seemed. The student unashamedly admited he was after an inheritance... the firstborn blessing of a double portion... of Elijah's Spirit. Imagine the audacity to admit that he wanted to be more than just like Elijah... twice the man he was! Imagine the pride and love Elijah must have felt to have this son in the Spirit.
Elijah had no family, no wife, no children, but this son in the Spirit. Indeed, Elisha had no Father but Elijah, since we saw him leave his Father and Mother in 1 Kings 19:20 to follow Elijah. So, you can imagine the sadness Elisha must have felt when he saw his teacher go up into the skies, raptured in a whirlwind right in front of his eyes. Like a son driven to follow in his Father's footsteps, Elisha bravely picked up the mantle Elijah dropped to him and turned back to divide the waters of the Jordon again. "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" he called. God answered by parting the water. Returning to the Prophet school where the others were waiting, he told them what had happened. But, they took a search party looking for Elijah anyways.
Later, returning on the way that he and Elijah had come from Bethel earlier, he walked alone. The story of Elijah's private rapture had spread fast. A mob of children from the city apparantly ran in the wilderness like urchins in London's streets in the nineteenth century, for many saw him and began to taunt him. They began to shout, "Go up, you bald head; go up, you bald head." This had to torment his lonely soul, for how he must have wished he could have gone up with Elijah! Elisha called on the name of God, and suddenly two mamma bears came out of the woods and killed 42 of the children. It is not a good thing to mock God.
I know that today we have many who speak of knowing the day and the hour of Jesus' return in the sky to take His children home. But, the Bible says no man knows the time. Matthew 24:36 this leads many more than before to doubt Jesus' return, and to mock true believers. The other students mocked Elisha. The children mocked Elisha. But, Elisha had seen Elijah go up with his own eyes. An eyewitness account can not be refuted.
And, what did Elisha have to show for his witness? He received a double portion... the firstborn blessing. Noteworthy is the fact that the Bible records twice as many miracles for Elisha as Elijah. It was one short when Elisha was buried. But, later a dead man was buried in the pit with him in a hurry and the moment he touched Elisha's bones, he was resurrected. This made the count double, and Elisha carried the Spirit of Elijah, which will one day bring his bones from the grave, up with Elijah.
There are many things we are told to love in the Bible... love your neighbor as yourself... husbands love your wives...etc. But, there are some things of God's that are named as lovable in Scripture. Yes, we are warned not to covet things belonging to other people, but we have blanket permission to love, to obsess over the things of God. If you are looking for a new obsession, here are a few things to get excited about.  10. Psalm 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
9. Psalm 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
8. Psalm 69:36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
7. Psalm 70:4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
 6. Psalm 119:119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
5. Psalm 119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
4. Psalm 119:132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
 3. Psalm 119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
2. Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
1. 2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Ok, so this is only four things named here, you say. It looks like God was obsessed with them as well. His salvation was mentioned 2 times, His name 3 times, His Word was mentioned 4 times in the various forms (testimonies, commandments, precepts, and law,) and His appearing was also mentioned once. Side note here - does "testimonies" sound less threatening of a title than the other three labels for the Word? Well, it's not. People died for their testimony, including Steven, Paul, John the Beloved, and Jesus Christ Himself.
Do you love His appearing? Do you love His salvation? His name? His Word? You know you do. You can't help yourself. Everything about Him is just so lovable! But, like they say, love is a verb. You can't love His appearing without working for the soon coming King. You can't love His salvation without having... and sharing it. You can't love His name without wearing it. You can't love His word without living it.
But, be forewarned...obsessive behavior is not cool. You probably won't have to worry about setting a bad example, because many people will not follow your lead. Expect to find yourself in the Zealous Minority.
The roar of the lion is no new sound. Some of the references to Jesus roaring like a lion appeared many thousands of years before the first advent of Jesus on Earth. C. S. Lewis wrote a picturesque trilogy based on the coming of the Lion that he called the Chronicles of Narnia, Narnia being the abode of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve.
Joel 3:16-18 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice
from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be
the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall you
know that I am the LORD your God... And it shall come to pass in that day, that the
mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the
rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth from the
house of the LORD..."
Of course, we all wait in hope for the return of the Lion. Jesus is the Lion and He will call His children from afar on that great and notable day.
Hosea 11:10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion:
when he shall roar, then the children shall come trembling from the west.
The image of the Lion fits well, because is Jesus not the King, much like the Lion is the King of Beasts? Actually that is quite a striking metaphor, seeing as how the King of the Beasts must be a beast himself. God, being the Creator of mankind, was not a man himself, until he robed Himself in flesh like clay, and took upon Himself the likeness of a man in Jesus Christ. Then He was able to call Himself the King of Men... the Son of Man... He who was first the Son of God now walked in the clay that He created. Now... the Lion could call Himself the King of all Creation, because He dwelt in our earthly realm.
Isaiah 31:4 For thus has the LORD spoken unto me, Like the lion and the
young lion roaring over his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth
against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor disturbed by the noise of
them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for its
hill.
Oddly matched battle usually, between the lion of Judah and the multitude of world leaders! (Our leaders are our shepherds, I hope we vote in the matter.)
Isaiah 42:13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up
jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, shout aloud; he shall prevail
against his enemies.
And on the Lion marches...coming, coming in glory! Hear the battle cry? Our Champion is leaping and charging ahead, leading the Kingdom Saints!
Jeremiah 25:30 Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and
say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his
holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a
shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the
earth.
There will come a day when all will see His face in glory. After the rapture of the church, after the havoc of the man Antichrist, the man of sin, has devastated Earth with the climax of sin's effect which began at the Fall, after the desecration of everything called holy on this earth! Then comes King Jesus, charging on a white horse, leading the saints in their glorified bodies. Then we will not only behold Him, but we will be like Him, for we will have seen Him as he is.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.
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